Written by Lawrence Anthony Jaggard

Abandoned shipyard, early morning. Broken down boats of various sizes and makes sway up to the water's edge, rocking against the reeds at the edge of the bay's channel. overgrown shrubs and reeds sprout up dotting the football field size yard, old dilapidated warehouses sit lopsided on a badly aging boardwalk type dock. A small box like shack once used as an office, stands in front of the warehouses to the edge of the dock, reeds shoot up tall enough to reach and partially hide the shack's front entrance. A small rancher sits alone in the wide open meadow-land in the distance, beyond the six-foot high chain link fence that surrounds the shipyard.

In the shack, two men sit talking at a wood table, one of the men, the Boss, a forty eight year old sloppy built, heavyset, stubble faced man, chomps on a stubby cigar.

The other man, Tiggy, a thirty-six year old skinny, scrubby face man, wears shabby, filthy clothes. The two men play a game of cards and garble about something that can't quite be understood and filters down beneath the shack.

Beneath the dock, under the shack, a little pixie girl, Caitlyn, who is about seven years old, wears shorts and a summer shirt, listens to the men in the shack. Caitlyn clutches a Sherlock Holmes size detectives magnifying glass and wears a Sherlock Holmes hat that nearly covers her entire head. A large sleek black cat sits alongside Caitlyn, the cat watches Caitlyn with curious amusement. The male voices from above filter down under the shack.

TIGGY: "Hey Boss, when those Asian girls going to get here?"

BOSS: "Soon Tiggy, just hold your pants, you get any skinnier, I'll have to tie them up with a rope."

TIGGY: "How much we getting for them girls this time."

Caitlyn gazes through her magnifying glass towards the rafters beneath the dock. Without warning, the cat emits a loud meow. Caitlyn presses her finger against her lips and whispers sternly.

CAITLYN: "Quiet Miss Blacky."

The voices abruptly cease from the shack above Caitlyn. Tiggy's voice resonates from above as he shouts out.

TIGGY: "What was that Boss?!"

The sudden sound of chair legs scraping over wood creaks down below. Caitlyn scurries to the opposite end of the dock while Miss Blacky trots close behind her heels.

At the rancher, that evening, the rancher, previously seen from the shipyard, sits on wide open grassland. To the north side, the shipyard's warehouses look dwarfed sitting behind the tall reeds. To the west side, tall reeds nearly block the wide bay's channel flowing around from the shipyard.

At the front of the rancher, Caitlyn sits on concrete steps leading to the front door of the rancher. She eyes Miss Blacky through her big magnifying glass.

The interior of the rancher, much like the exterior, is a well-kept lower middle class household. Miss Blacky munches on nuggets in a quart size bowl on the kitchen floor under the table. Caitlyn slurps up noodle soup with a spoon from another quart size bowl sitting on the kitchen table in front of her.

At the kitchen counter, June, a slender woman of about thirty years old, leans over the kitchen sink washing dishes, the warm summer breeze coming from an open window in front of her, gently tosses her bangs. She wears a plain but well-kept blouse.

Meanwhile, back at the kitchen table, Caitlyn pings the spoon in her empty bowl and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. She grabs her bowl and carries it over to her mother. June takes the bowl and places it in the murky, soapy water. Caitlyn peers at June with a curious expression.

CAITLYN: "Mommy, I heard some men talking about Asian girls."

JUNE: "Where was this Caitlyn?"

CAITLYN: "At the shipyard today."

June's cheerful demeanor turns into a frown as she responds with a firm stare.

JUNE: "I told you to stay away from that place, it's dangerous."

CAITLYN: (replies indignantly) "It's not dangerous, I got Miss Blacky with me, I get lots of practice there."

JUNE: "You're not a detective young lady."

CAITLYN: (defensive) "I can be someday. Girls can be anything they want, that's what daddy use to tell me."

JUNE: "That's fine, there's a lot of detective work you can do close to the house."

CAITLYN: "But..."

JUNE: "No shipyard. Do I make myself clear?"

CAITLYN: (pouts) "Okay."

From the floor next to the table, Miss Blacky, Caitlyn's cat, gazes intently at both Caitlyn and June.

In Caitlyn's bedroom, later that night, Caitlyn flops down on her bed. Miss Blacky watches her while sitting by the wall near the window. Caitlyn gazes at the opposite wall across from her, her head supported by her hands as she speaks to her cat, not quite expecting a reply from her cat.

CAITLYN: "Why couldn't you stand up for me Miss Blacky?"

Suddenly Miss Blacky stands upright like a human, she props one paw against the wall and crosses one foot over the other, like humans do. She answers Caitlyn with the voice of a human female, and retorts back at Caitlyn sternly.

MISS BLACKY: "Now look here Pixie."

Caitlyn jerks her head around and freezes in shock when her eyes catch sight of Miss Blacky's upright position. Caitlyn is met with a stern stare from her cat, who then proceeds again to speak in a human female voice.

MISS BLACKY: "Let me give you a bit of advice Pixie."

At the doorway of caitlyn's bedroom, June suddenly enters the room.

JUNE: "Who you talking to sweetheart?"

Caitlyn points frantically at her cat as she stares at June with wide eyed amazement.

CAITLYN: "Mommy! Look at Miss Blacky!"

June stares at the cat unimpressed. Miss Blacky lays calmly by the foot of the bed on the floor. Caitlyn turns and stares down at Miss Blacky with an astonished look on her face and scratches her head in confusion.

CAITLYN: "Huh?"

She contemplates if she truly witnessed what she thought she had seen.

Outside of the rancher, in the backyard, the next day, Caitlyn, with Sherlock Holmes hat on, kneels down in the thick grass and stares through the magnifying glass at something in the grass. Miss Blacky stands on all four legs like cats normally do, sniffing the area Caitlyn searches. Caitlyn rises to her feet and stares in the direction of the shipyard. Suddenly a boat hitting the dock in the distance, shatters the stillness in the air. Caitlyn walks over a few feet in the direction of the shipyard.

View of the shipyard from a distance, only the tall reeds are visible from where Caitlyn is observing.

Back of the rancher, Caitlyn hurries into the back door. Miss Blacky stares at Caitlyn bewildered. Back door of rancher, moments later, Caitlyn bursts back out of the house, forcefully closing the screen door behind her as she tightly grips a pair of binoculars.

Christina, a sixteen year old, typical teenage girl, pops her head out the doorway of the house and hollers out.

CHRISTINA: "Caitlyn, what are you doing with your mom's binoculars?!"

CAITLYN: "Just looking at the water, so's I don't have to leave the yard."

The phone rings, causing Christina to quickly retreat back into the house. Caitlyn raises the binoculars to her eyes and directs them towards the shipyard. After a moment of hesitation, she glances back at the house. Christina's excited voice echoes through the back window of the house and out into the yard.

CHRISTINA: "Really! So cool. You think he'll ask me out for a date?"

Caitlyn starts to distance herself from the house. Miss Blacky keeps a watchful eye on Caitlyn before trotting towards her, anxiously calling out.

MISS BLACKY: "Pixie, Where are you going? Remember. No shipyard."

Caitlyn steadfastly accelerates her pace and advances, paying no heed to her cat's advice and then hollers back to Miss Blacky.

CAITLYN: "You sissy cat, it's about time you spoke up, I'm just gonna get close."

Miss Blacky chooses not to linger and swiftly moves to catch up with Caitlyn and calls over to her again.

MISS BLACKY: "Wait for me!"

CAITLYN: "Hurry up, before Christina gets off the phone."

MISS BLACKY: "You joking me? It's about boys. She'll be on there for hours."

Caitlyn makes her way towards the shipyard's fence, with Miss Blacky keeping pace by her side. At the outer section of the shipyard fence, Caitlyn peers through the binoculars, directing her view towards the shipyard.

The view through the binoculars, a minivan sits adjacent to the shipyard's dock. Tiggy lumbers into view escorting an Asian girl over to the van. The Boss watches, cigar chomped between his teeth. The Captain, an older man with a whiskered face, wearing a captain's hat, stands next to the Boss.

Outside of the shipyard's chain-link fence, Caitlyn glances down at Miss Blacky, contemplating what she had just witnessed through the binoculars. Miss Blacky stands upright with her front paws resting on the fence, peering curiously into the shipyard.

Inside of the rancher that evening, Caitlyn seems to be engrossed in her thoughts as she absentmindedly twirls her food with a fork. June is seated at the opposite side of the table, she picks up her plate and carries it to the sink, placing it there before turning around and facing Caitlyn with a resolute stare.

JUNE: "Christina said you left the yard today. Where did you go?"

June fixes her gaze on Caitlyn and begins tapping her finger on the counter when her daughter fails to respond.

JUNE: "I'm waiting for an answer young lady."

Caitlyn raises her head and gazes at June with a serious look on her face.

CAITLYN: "I saw something strange at the shipyard today mommy."

JUNE: "I told you, I did not want you there."

With her chin propped up on her hand, Caitlyn looks down at the table and then back at June.

CAITLYN: "Well. I didn't go in. Just at the fence to see."

JUNE: "To see what?"

Caitlyn abruptly withdraws her hand from her chin and enthusiastically responds to her mother.

CAITLYN: "Mommy, those men were putting a young girl in a big car."

June looks towards the sink and turns on the faucet. Caitlyn carries on with her explanation to June.

CAITLYN: "Just ask Miss Blacky, she said she could see it too, she'll tell you herself."

June pivots around and gazes at Caitlyn intensely, unable to believe what she is hearing.

JUNE: "You almost had me. I'm sorry Caitlyn, you may not leave the house until you learn to listen to me."

CAITLYN: "Just ask her. She can really talk. You'll see."

June gazes at Caitlyn with narrowed eyes aimed at her daughter, inquiring about the peculiar tale concerning her cat.

JUNE: "That's your story?"

CAITLYN: (agitated) "Don't say that."

June is taken by surprise by Caitlyn's unexpected response to her reply.

JUNE: (indignant) "Why?"

CAITLYN: "Your boyfriend always says that." (Sarcastic) "What your story? What your story?"

JUNE: "Stop that young lady. I know you miss your father, there's nothing I can do to bring him back, I miss him too."

CAITLYN: (grumpy pout) "Well, I don't have to like your boyfriend."

Caitlyn pushes her plate away in repulsion, folds her arms, and fixes a rebellious stare at June. June gazes at Caitlyn's plate, which is nearly full, wearing a concerned look on her face.

JUNE: "Aren't you going to finish your dinner?"

CAITLYN: "No, I'm not hungry."

In a fit of anger, Caitlyn pushes her chair away and storms out from the kitchen.

In Caitlyn's bedroom that night, a clear, starry night sky is visible through the open window, as the moon shines its light into the room. Caitlyn is soundly sleeping in her bed, while Miss Blacky is peacefully asleep at the foot of the bed. The sound of a young girl sobbing reverberates through the bedroom from the open window near Caitlyn's bed.

Caitlyn awakens from her slumber and slowly opens her eyes before getting out of bed and making her way to the open window. While attempting to locate the source of the noise she heard outside her window, the only sounds she can hear now are the chirping of crickets and the deep croaking of bullfrogs. Caitlyn captures the attention of Miss Blacky, causing her to raise her head and gaze inquisitively at Caitlyn.

The rancher, in the kitchen, early next morning, Caitlyn munches on cereal out of a quart size bowl wearing her Sherlock Holmes hat. The magnifying glass is positioned prominently next to the bowl. June emerges from another room carrying a basket filled with damp laundry. She is dressed in shorts and a sleeveless blouse. Coming to a sudden halt near the front door, June looks at Caitlyn with a displeased expression.

JUNE: "For goodness sake Caitlyn. It's Saturday, must you wear that hat all the time?"

Caitlyn continues to eat her cereal, her attention focused on the magnifying glass as she replies to her mother.

CAITLYN: (nonchalant) "It keeps my head warm, so's I can think better."

The phone suddenly rings. June sits the basket on the table and promptly picks the wall phone off the hook and answers.

JUNE: "Hello." (Pause) "Okay. If that's all it's for. Let me get my sitter."

June hangs the phone up and grabs the laundry basket and heads for the door. Caitlyn looks at her mother with anticipation and a perplexed look on her face.

CAITLYN: "We're going to the beach aren't we?"

JUNE: "I'm sorry Caitlyn, mommy's got to go to work for a few hours, someone called out."

June reflects on her choices and opts to pick up the phone a second time.

Outside of the rancher, in the front yard, about an hour later, June is dressed in a housekeeper's uniform. She stands next to Christina, who appears to have made plans she had to break. At the screen door, Caitlyn is leaning against the interior screen door, watching Christina and June anxiously.

JUNE: "It'll only be a few hours Christina, that's all."

June pivots around from Christina and fixes her gaze on Caitlyn through the screen door.

JUNE: "Caitlyn, we'll go this afternoon. Remember, stay in the house til I get home."

CAITLYN: (pouts) "Okay."

June rotates back around and locks her eyes firmly on Christina.

JUNE: "Christina make sure she doesn't wander off anywhere."

Christina answers with a lack of conviction, making an effort to persuade June of her sincerity.

CHRISTINA: "Okay June, I'll make sure she doesn't leave the house."

June studies Christina's face, however she forces a smile then lumbers to a small car off to the side yard.

In Caitlyn's bedroom moments later, Caitlyn sits cross legged on the carpet floor and peers through her magnifying glass at a miniature card. Miss Blacky lays on her back facing the ceiling, on the bed. Both front paws in back of her head, one leg crossed over the other, just like humans do. The sudden chugging of a boat engine can be heard as it moves through the water, its echoes filling the room. A sharp thud of wooden objects colliding reverberates a few seconds later.

Caitlyn jumps up off the floor and races to the window to see what she is hearing. Miss Blacky hops out of the bed, onto the floor, on all four legs, like cats normally do. Caitlyn strains her eyes in an attempt to identify the sound's source. Seated behind her, Miss Blacky sits with her nose in the air.

MISS BLACKY: "What do you see Pixie?"

CAITLYN: "I can't see anything. Wait here."

Caitlyn rushes out of the room while Miss Blacky is taken back by Caitlyn's hasty departure from the room. Moments later, Caitlyn bursts back into the room, with binoculars gripped tightly in her hand. Christina's voice suddenly thunders out at Caitlyn from another room in the house.

CHRISTINA: "What are you doing Caitlyn?!"

Caitlyn briefly turns around to the doorway and exclaims in response to Christina.

CAITLYN: "I'm just in my room that's all, I'm not going anywhere!"

CHRISTINA: "You better stay there or I'm telling your mom!"

Caitlyn looks through the binoculars, then pauses and looks down at Miss Blacky. In response, Miss Blacky looks back up at Caitlyn with a perplexed expression.

MISS BLACKY: "What Pixie?"

CAITLYN: "They got another little girl. Those china girls."

MISS BLACKY: "You had better call the police now."

CAITLYN: "You know they won't believe us. Specially you."

MISS BLACKY: "Wow, now there is an interesting thought Pixie."

CAITLYN: "We got to do something Miss Blacky."

MISS BLACKY: "Ah no, your mother will skin us both. I just won't look right skinned."

CAITLYN: (pleads) "We got to, my daddy said before he went to heaven, he said, 'It's our duty to help someone in trouble'."

MISS BLACKY: "You sure know how to get to a feline. We've got to get your sitter occupied, wait here."

Miss Blacky gallops out of the room, while Caitlyn attentively gazes at the door through which she disappeared. A few minutes later, Caitlyn watches as Miss Blacky makes her way back into the room, trotting triumphantly.

CAITLYN: "What did you do?"

MISS BLACKY: "She's tied up on the phone again, about boys."

Caitlyn sneaks out of the room with her Sherlock Holmes hat on and magnifying glass in hand, Miss Blacky follows behind on all fours like cats normally do. Outside of the rancher, at the back door, Caitlyn exits discreetly through the rear entrance while Miss Blacky follows closely behind.

In the shipyard, by the dock, the same van shown earlier sits waiting. Tiggy struts into view as he escorts another young Asian girl to the van. The Boss follows closely behind Tiggy, with a stubby cigar clenched between his teeth, keeping a close eye on him and the Asian girl. The Van Driver slips out of the van and motions for Tiggy to hold up.

Hidden among the tall reeds not far from the van, Caitlyn watches as Miss Blacky sits next to her. Caitlyn desperately tries to fend off the green head flies that are circling her, but her efforts are in vain as one of the flies lands on the back of her neck, causing Caitlyn to holler out in sudden pain.

CAITLYN: "Ouch!"

Over at the van, Tiggy raises his head in the direction of Caitlyn's voice over in the reeds, and yells out over to the Boss.

TIGGY: "Hey Boss! Someone's in them reeds over there!"

BOSS: (hollers to the Van Driver) "Get the girl in the van!"

The driver of the van makes strong gestures with his hands, waving them frantically in the air, in order to catch the Boss's eye.

VAN DRIVER: "I can't take her on the road right now!"

The Boss in response, motions to the Captain and then over to the shack.

BOSS: "Put her in the office. Tiggy, let's go find us an intruder."

TIGGY: "Yeah Boss. Let's get that darn intruder."

The Boss gestures for Tiggy to take the lead. Tiggy takes out a revolver, from his pocket and moves slowly towards Caitlyn. The Boss cautiously walks behind Tiggy. Over in the reeds, all of a sudden, the reeds up ahead split and sway back and forth wildly. Tiggy pulls the trigger of his revolver and fires off a shot in the direction of the reeds where Caitlyn and her cat are running through. After the shot is fired, the reeds ahead come to an abrupt halt in their movement.

Meanwhile at the rancher, in the front yard, the same small car that left earlier in the morning, pulls back into the yard. June slips out of the car and walks up to the front door.

Inside of the rancher, upon hearing the door open, Christina pauses her phone conversation, quickly turning her head towards the front door, and then speaks urgently back into the phone.

CHRISTINA: (whispers) "Gotta go, I think June just came home."

Christina hangs the phone up abruptly just as June enters the kitchen.

CHRISTINA: (shaky voice) "Hi June, what's happening."

June peers at Christina with a suspicious expression.

JUNE: "Everything all right?"

CHRISTINA: (tense) "Yes, everything is fine June."

June stares at the doorway leading out of the kitchen and calls out to Caitlyn.

JUNE: "Ready to go to the beach Caitlyn?!"

Christina glances nervously at June, who redirects her gaze from the door and back over to Christina.

JUNE: "Where's Caitlyn?"

Christina turns her eyes away from June and replies apprehensively with a sense of guilt.

CHRISTINA: "She probably took a nap. She's been quiet the whole morning."

In an effort to release the tension, Christina turns her gaze back to June and offers a smile that is both wary and curious.

CHRISTINA: "What's with Caitlyn and that get up she wears?"

JUNE: "You mean the hat and magnifying glass?"

CHRISTINA: "Yeah that hat and the magnifying glass she always carries with her."

JUNE: "Her father was a detective on the city police force. He never wore anything like that at work, but he was a big fan of Sherlock Holmes, and so was Caitlyn."

Christina exhales in relief at June's calm demeanor and watches as June lumbers out of the kitchen.

In Caitlyn's bedroom, June opens the door and sticks her head in the room and calls out to Caitlyn.

JUNE: "Caitlyn, are you ready to have some fun at the beach?"

June scans the room with her eyes and frowns, noticing that the bedroom is empty.

Back in the kitchen, June reenters, catching Christina's eye as tiny droplets of sweat start to form on her face. June maintains a steady stare at Christina.

JUNE: "I can't find Caitlyn anywhere, where did she go?"

CHRISTINA: (shaky) "Well. She was there a little while ago, before you came home."

June throws Christina a persistent stare as Christina answers with an apologetic tone.

CHRISTINA: "I'm sorry June, I never heard her go out anywhere, I thought she was in her room."

June's countenance immediately changes to a more compassionate one as she answers Christina with concern for her daughter.

JUNE: "The important thing now is to find Caitlyn. I think I know where she is, I should have listened to her."

June snatches the phone off it's hook and quickly taps the buttons as Christina eyes her warily.

At the shipyard, in the reeds, later that day, Tiggy combs through the reeds just ahead of the Boss who then stops abruptly, the Boss turns to the van where the other two men are standing and motions to the Van Driver.

BOSS: "After you get the girl in the office, come and help us find the intruder."

VAN DRIVER: "Where's the lock to the office?"

BOSS: "Don't worry about that, where can she go in this place."

The Captain strides over to the Boss and Tiggy. The Van Driver guides the Asian girl to the shack.

At the warehouse, now late in the day, the Sun is beginning to set in the sky outside, causing dark shadows to fall across the dock and the yard. Tiggy charges in through the long sliding broken doors, his gun held ready, finger on the trigger.

With only a faint light filtering through, Tiggy struggles to make out his path towards the back wall. Pallets are scattered here and there, support large wood crates, elevating them off the floor. The Captain and Van Driver tag close behind Tiggy. The Boss enters behind the Van Driver.

At the far back wall, positioned behind a stack of crates, Caitlyn remains hidden from view. Miss Blacky sits nearby, attentively observing Caitlyn.

At the inside front entrance of the warehouse, the Boss focuses on Tiggy, casting a suspicious glance in Tiggy's direction.

BOSS: "Tiggy, you sure the intruder came in here?"

Tiggy cautiously answers the Boss, but lacking confidence in his reply.

TIGGY: "Yeah boss, I think they came this way."

The Boss frowns at Tiggy in disbelief, he turns and motions to the other men standing in front of him.

BOSS: "You two search in the other warehouse."

The Van Driver steps out of the entrance with a lumbering pace. The Captain follows in his footsteps. The Boss turns and eyes Tiggy hard, shakes his head and motions him to head towards the wall on the opposite side.

BOSS: "Look over there Tiggy, and make sure you know what your looking at."

Tiggy cautiously lumbers over to the opposite wall, diligently making his way towards Caitlyn.

Behind the stack of crates, Miss Blacky scales the crates to the top, roughly seven feet up. Caitlyn stares up at Miss Blacky mystified and whispers to her cat.

CAITLYN: "What you doing Miss Blacky?"

MISS BLACKY: (whispers back) "Hold tight Pixie, I have an idea."

Tiggy stops at the stack of crates where Caitlyn stands behind. His revolver held tight, finger on the trigger, ready to pull it at any moment.

At the top of the crates, Miss Blacky calls out to Tiggy from above, she entices him with a seductive whisper.

MISS BLACKY: "Hey you there, big boy, look up here."

Tiggy gawks up at Miss Blacky in disbelief, then rubs his eyes and takes another look. Miss Blacky continues to stare down at Tiggy with yet another seductive call.

MISS BLACKY: "Hey there, looking for something handsome?"

Tiggy gradually open his mouth. He retreats a couple of paces backward, loses his balance, and ends up seated on the hard concrete surface.

TIGGY: (hollers out) "Hey Boss over here, you got to see this."

The Boss hollers back to Tiggy from a short distance away.

BOSS: "Found something Tiggy? and it better be good!"

Tiggy gradually stands to his feet and shouts to the Boss once more.

TIGGY: "Look over here! At this cat!"

The Boss struts into view and looks up at Miss Blacky unimpressed and then glares at Tiggy.

BOSS: "We ain't looking for no cat, stupid."

Miss Blacky glances down at the two men, examining them with curiosity and carefully watching their movements. Tiggy's eyes light up as he watches the cat, then he turns to the Boss with excitement.

TIGGY: "It can talk Boss, you'll see."

Tiggy stares back up at Miss Blacky in hopes that she will speak again, meanwhile the Boss aims his revolver at Miss Blacky.

BOSS: "Then I'll shut it up for good."

The Boss points his revolver at the cat and starts to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly Caitlyn's big magnifying glass comes flying out from around the stack. The magnifying glass hits the Boss's face squarely and shatters as the Boss covers his eyes in pain and hollers out.

BOSS: "Tiggy get over here and help me, I can't see!"

Tiggy cast a quick glace towards the Boss, only to be ambushed by Miss Blacky who pounces on him while shouting for Caitlyn.

MISS BLACKY: "Hurry Pixie, run out of here as fast as you can!"

Caitlyn races out from behind the crates and charges out of the warehouse entrance. Miss Blacky takes flight over the fallen Tiggy and then quickly gallops out of the warehouse.

At the shack, that night, the moon casts a glow over the shipyard, enough to see the surroundings. At the shack, Caitlyn takes hold of the hand of the young Asian girl and urges her to follow along. Suddenly, Miss Blacky gallops into sight and urgently calls out to Caitlyn.

MISS BLACKY: "Quick Pixie, those two men are coming after us, let's get out of here."

The Asian girl gawks at Miss Blacky with a curious smile, she can't believe what she is hearing is coming from a cat. Caitlyn jumps off the dock, she turns and signals to the Asian girl to follow her. The Asian girl jumps off the dock next to Caitlyn. Miss Blacky leaps off the dock and onto the ground. She trots on all four legs behind Caitlyn and the Asian girl.

Meanwhile at the warehouse entrance, Tiggy stands at the entrance of the warehouse and scans the yard searching for Caitlyn. The Boss stumbles out. His hand to his head. A black and blue mark appears between his eyes. Tiggy catches sight of the girls and points frantically in the direction the girls are headed in, then turns to the Boss and frantically hollers out over to him.

TIGGY: "Look Boss! There they are and they are getting away!"

The Captain and the Van Driver lumber out the entrance of the other warehouse. The Boss observes the shack, now empty of the Asian girl, his face reddening as he shouts out a command to Tiggy.

BOSS: "Tiggy! Get after them and don't let them get away!"

Tiggy motions to the other men to follow him, then charges after the girls. The Captain and the Van Driver trail behind.

Over at the reeds, Tiggy notices the dense, towering reeds ahead of him abruptly beginning to sway back and forth. He then proceeds to discharge a round from his revolver towards the tall reeds. The gunshot shatters a reed stalk, mere inches away from Caitlyn's head. Unfazed, Caitlyn seizes the hand of the Asian girl and they both scurry deeper into the reeds.

Later that evening, at the shipyard's barbed wire fence, Caitlyn and the young Asian girl stand huddled, with their backs to the corner of the chain-link fence. Tiggy points his revolver at the two girls. The Van Driver stands to Tiggy's right and the Captain stands to Tiggy's left. Caitlyn's eyes nervously dart around the shipyard, desperately searching for a way out.

The Boss approaches Tiggy with heavy steps, sweat glistening on his face. He exhales sharply with each breath and gestures to the Van Driver in a commanding tone.

BOSS: "Can you take the girl now?!"

The Van Driver glances at his watch before casually shifting his gaze towards the Boss.

VAN DRIVER: "Yeah OK, I can take her now."

BOSS: (blurts out) "Then take them both!"

With wide eyes, the Van Driver stares at the boss before fixing a hard gaze at him.

VAN DRIVER: "That's nuts, I can't take the other girl with me."

The Boss stares back with narrowed eyes and an intimidating glare.

BOSS: "Want your money?"

Recognizing the pointlessness of arguing, the Van Driver raises his hands in frustration.

VAN DRIVER: "Okay, Okay, I'll take them both."

Suddenly, out of nowhere, the air is filled with the piercing sound of sirens screaming in the night. Tiggy peers to the south, his eyes bulge as he points wildly to the scene in the distance.

TIGGY: "Boss look over there, it looks like cops are headed this way!"

The men redirect their attention to witness what Tiggy is witnessing.

In the distance, police car flashers sparkle in the night sky. A cloud of dust hovers in the air behind several police cars headed toward the Boss and his men. Back at the fence, the Boss wipes his sweaty face with a dirty rag and shouts out orders.

BOSS: "Grab the girls and let's get out of here!"

The Boss turns away from the police cars approaching in the distance and to the other two men with him. However, the Van Driver and Captain decide not to stick around and flee the other way, only Tiggy remains, standing next to the Boss.

The Captain and Van Driver continue their flight through the reeds and out of site. The Boss turns to Tiggy in a moment of desperation and shouts out to Tiggy.

BOSS: "Forget them Tiggy! grab the Asian girl and shoot the other one!"

Tiggy stretches out his arm towards the Asian girl and directs his firearm towards Caitlyn with the other hand.

Near the top of the chain-link fence, Miss Blacky leaps down and pounces on Tiggy. Tiggy tries frantically to knock Miss Blacky off of him. Caitlyn rushes over and kicks Tiggy in the groin as hard as she can, sending him barreling backward and slamming into the Boss, who has his gun held in his hand. The Boss is brought down to the ground by Tiggy who crashes down on top of him.

The police rush over with shot guns pointed at the Boss and Tiggy who are both sprawled out on the ground trying to get back up. One of the officers retrieves handcuffs from his belt and races over to restrain Tiggy and the Boss on the ground, all the while conversing with Caitlyn.

OFFICER: "Thanks Pixie, they would have gotten away if it wasn't for you."

Caitlyn flashes a wide smile at the Officer and responds with eagerness.

CAITLYN: "That's what Miss Blacky calls me."

The Officer returns Caitlyn's smile, not quite sure of what she means.

At the rancher, in the front yard, late that night, June holds Caitlyn tight in her arms. Christina smiles radiantly, elated that Caitlyn is back safe and sound. The Officer lumbers over from a police car and stares with a smile at Caitlyn while talking to June.

OFFICER: "You have quite a hero there ma'am."

Caitlyn walks over to Miss Blacky who is sitting on the grass, like cats normally do, and puts her arms around her cat while talking to the officer.

CAITLYN: "Miss Blacky helped. But you wouldn't believe me if I told you how."

With a smile of relief, June is glad that the whole affair has finally concluded as she tells the Officer of her concern for her daughter.

JUNE: "I just wish she hadn't taken such a big gamble, I would not want to lose my little hero girl."

OFFICER: "I agree with you there ma'am, but one day I'm sure, she would make an excellent detective."

Caitlyn strokes her cat softly on her head, then makes her way back to her mother, wearing a cheerful smile.

CAITLYN: "I think I'll wait to I get older to nap the bad guys."

OFFICER: "When you do, come see us at the police station, we can use a good detective like you."

The Officer lumbers back to his police car, slips in and drives off of the property.

Caitlyn receives a heartfelt hug from June, as Christina softly pats her on the head with an affectionate smile.

Meanwhile, Miss Blacky sits in the grass off to the side of the yard and talks unseen and unheard by the others.

MISS BLACKY: "I'm glad that's over. I have more pressing things to attend to, like that juicy mouse over there."

Miss Blacky rises to her feet and swiftly moves towards an unseen target before disappearing from sight.

THE END.